Down to their last shot, the Giants will turn to a pitcher who has been waiting his whole life for a chance like this.

“It’s amazing for me,” Ryan Vogelsong said Monday, in preparation for Tuesday’s Game 3. “But I said this to you a couple of days ago, it’s not about me at this point. It’s about the team and what’s best for us.”

For manager Bruce Bochy, Vogelsong was the option that would be best for Game 3. The resilient right-hander bounced back from a tough stretch to give up just one earned run in his final three starts.

“I think the way Ryan has been throwing the ball his last couple of starts, he’s been on with his command, his ‘stuff’ and we like where he’s at right now,” Bochy said.
Reds starters against Vogelsong:
Phillips: 7 for 14
Cozart: 0 for 6
Votto: 1 for 6, 3 BB
Ludwick: 4 for 5, 2 RBI
Bruce: 4 for 12, HR, 3 RBIs
Rolen: 4 for 10, HR, 6 RBIs
Hanigan 2 for 6
Stubbs: 3 for 13, 5 strikeouts

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Homer Bailey threw a no-hitter in September but wasn’t guaranteed a postseason start. With Johnny Cueto ailing, the Reds now expect him to be a key postseason contributor, starting with Game 3.

“In these situations, every game is important,” Bailey said. “We’re in a good spot, but every game at this stage of the season is big.”

Bailey found out in the middle of Game 1 that he would start Game 3, and immediately flew home to eliminate the possibility of jet lag.

“It actually worked out good,” he said. “I threw a regular bullpen that day and stayed on my regular rest anyways, so no excuses, right?”

No way will they take the ball out of Cain’s hands. How could a manager look his team in the face and say we will not go with the guy who was good enough to start the AS game, who threw a PG, who was one of the top 5 pitchers in the NL for a guy with the worst ERA in the NL who gave up 3 homers to the lowly Padres?

All the guys who want Timmy to start would be the first ones to call for his head if Timmy failed.

ClutchUp

Watched the O’s vs. Yankees game. For any who thought so – NO – Ishiro did not go out of the baseline, as he is allowed to create his own.

Truthfully if Weiters “just” gets to his feet and or flops back onto home plate he would have been able to tag the acrobatic Ishiro. In that play catchers need to realize that the runner “needs to come back to him”.

Real time looked like Weiters got him several times, but as we saw Weiters never argued, only Buck came out to get a clarification.

Here’s a link to the video. (Warning: it does contain John Sterling’s call of the play from 00:56 to 1:42 if you want to avoid that part of the video.)

I’m throwing down the gauntlet. Everyone that reads this, we may not be able to win this one for the Giants, but we can summon every bit of mojo we have in us. Every superstition, every illogical, unscientific belief you may hold, whether current or from way back in your childhood, every seemingly silly, dumber than a CSN Giant commercial anti-ju-ju hex you may know, NOW IS THE TIME!

If we can create enough positive vibes, we can make a few “breaks” go the Giants way.

Whether it’s yelling “drop it, drop it, drop it” on every Giant fly ball or pop up, whether it’s putting on that old give away white roll up Giants hat with the catchup stain still on it because you didn’t have the heart to clean it and lose the mojo of the win it once brought, whether it is watching the game from a specific spot on the couch or not watching at all but listening on the radio while you do yard work, whether it’s drinking nothing but orange soda out of a black halloween plastic glass from 1978, WE MUST DO WHAT WE CAN.

I don’t care if you are negative in posts. I don’t care if you do nothing but criticize the Brandons, or Huff, or Melky, or the Selig CIA, or the American League Taliban. Just make sure you summon whatever superstitious, religious, or long forgotten mojo you can and SEND IT EAST (unless you are east of Cincinnati, of course, or very far to the North, or South).

Even if you don’t believe it can help, I dare you to do it. We are going to make it work, and then the boys are going to take advantage of those breaks and win this game.

YMan

It’s funny how everyone ignored “Melky.” He was hoping for a reaction and didn’t get one. Hopefully he can now find something better to do with his time than ineffectively troll a Giants blog.

El Lobo

Cow @ 1:08 – Brilliant! I’m in.

mario

right on wisdom!! I am with you!!! that pumped me up lol

channelclemente

This is where trolls come to die.

stickman

Hoping Brandon Belts a homer off Bailey.

al oha

The Giants can win today, and also win the short series.
It CAN happen.

If Pagan, in his first at bat, hits a popup in short right field, down the line, and Votto, Phillips, and Jay Bruce run full speed colliding into each other. Two concussions and a sprained knee. All out for a week. It COULD happen. It’s possible. Highly improbable, but possible.

Meanwhile, how ’bout them Niners?

stickman

Do or Die Day. Do it Giants!

Lefty

“Melky” is the same troll who kept taunting us under different board names for several days after Cabrera was suspended. The writing style and content are the same.

I’m sure he’ll be back, as will Hitman. Just ignore.

The Oracle

I hope troll “Melky” does go to a bar to watch the game and does attempt to rub it into the faces of Giants fans. I also hope that, at the same bar, there is a large Giants fan with an extra Y chromosome who only feels comfortable expressing frustration through senseless violence.

South City Jim

I just read TWC post and shredded Sunday’s ticket stub. Go Giants.

El Lobo

My brother (Reds fan) is at the game and texted me that the Giants looked really good in BP. Let’s have that translate into a good game against Bailey.

Nice to see earlier that Zito was hitting in the Blanco hitting group in BP with Giants Bullpen catcher Taira Uematsu throwing BP … he of the nickname Japanese Swiss Army Knife. Zeets was slashing balls the opposite way preparing for his hypothetical opportunity on Wed.
———
Just realized that if/when the Giants vote shares for ‘any’ post season $$$ – that any player who was not with the team the entire time, needs to leave the room. In 2010 Pat Burrell left the “room” before Cain called the ‘meeting to order’.
——–

Lefty

Anti-Lasorda says:
October 9th, 2012 at 12:47 pm

Game five, for it all, how many here would give the ball to 55 especially given how Cain has been pitching post 9/1?
—————————————————-
Huh? Cain went 3-0 with a 2.51 ERA in September. To me the more relevant issue is that he hasn’t pitched well against the Reds this year.

Lincecum in September was 3-1 with a 4.63 ERA.

That said, I might go with Lincecum in game 5 if there was one for the sole reason that he hasn’t started against the Reds this year, so maybe there’s an element of surprise.

But it won’t happen, as you said. If there’s a Game 5, Matt Cain will start it.

I just put on my oldest promotional hat still around, United Airlines Roll-Up Hat. Inside it, I have inscribed, “6/6/90 – Roll-up [unitelligible word followed by 8 inches of smeared from wear ink then a heavily smeared but kinda legible ‘HRs’, then back to legible] by Clark and Mitchell.”

Game on!

giants_stoker

The dream is still alive! This fight song is hilarious and awesome. Go Giants!

Pablo … that’s called a fast ball right down the middle. Come on guys!!

totalfan62

We needed baserunners in the first. At least Pagan and Scutaro made good contact. Pablo…not so much.

Come on, Vogey.

channelclemente

I’ve counted 2 FB Sandoval has hit since he came off the DL. He’s looks lost against a FB down the middle.

ClutchUp

CincyFan says: October 9th, 2012 at 2:42 pm 55..scuturo just flied out
grab some pine meat

LOL, its actually modern dayz … we have traded in our black and white TV’s for Big Screens.

You guys miss Labron James still? 😉

Reaper

enough about not starting lincecum game 2. he wasnt pitching well. bochy’s move is defensable. how about the putrid offense. if lincecum or bumgarner or whoever comes in game 2 and throws 7 innings of 2 run ball…we still lose.

CincyFan

let’s go phillips!!!

ClutchUp

Thank You Reaper = 27 Outs People 8)

PACMAN68

When things are not working. Bochy needed to mix things up. He didn’t do squat.

reds homer; these losers are watching them cowards lose inning by inning and barry felon bonds park will be a ghost town

they got nothing on us

Reaper

like i said, bochys decisions on who to start have been defensible, but once the game starts its on him to read the starter and make a quick change if need be. making a change too late is way less defensible when you can see what youre getting out of a guy.

Needs = Disciplined Power Hitting LF (is Bonds still available?), a power hitting 4th OF, A legit Ace (Cain looks like a #2 Timmy 2012 version looks like a #5 starter), a power hitting 3B that doesn’t have a gut shaped like barrell

there will be plenty of domestic violence calls tonight after the giant’s lose

pacman68

Is there not a better name for a pitching coach then DICK POLE?

CincyFan

yes…..there is…..

the giants

Reds Homer

Giants suck

Woj

Qs to CincyFan –
When’s that last World Series the redlegs won?
Were you alive when it last happened? A generation of redleg fans weren’t.
Why does your team have as a mascot a goofy looking thing with a giant baseball head and mustache running around smiling at next to nothing in a redleg uni you retired 30 years ago?
About your manager, take a guess what team he managed for a decade before the redlegs picked him up.

CincyFan

breaking news>>>

giants don’t score in the 2nd

Die Hard Giants Fan

Time to bust loose the bats. 20 innings, one run. 11 innings, two hits. This is beyond ridiculous. What a time to go into a slump.

CincyFan

red homer:

look at the bitterness and anger coming from these posters

out of control losers

Woj

last Q – WTH is a redleg -LOL! The whole concept of redleg to giant baseball head man to reds, weak!

I love the trolls personally… It reminds me that no matter how angry or said I feel after a game I know my life is better then someone who just patrols the internet looking to put people down and insult. Let’s value the trolls they are great self esteem tool. So keep it up Cincyfan and Red’s homer ( we know you’re the same person so drop a screen name) 🙂

Woj

Wisdom Cow – I think Bochy could hit better than the stiffs and chokers in the Giants lineup now. Bonds coming off the Barclounger and long distance bike could hit far better too.

Bochy can’t manage to score runs sandwiched around 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. If there was ever time to throw a chair to stop the choking this is it.

Reds Homer

CincyFan,

its not breaking news that they dont score in the 2nd

they are accustom to that

Scott

OK, so “Melky” changed his cover to “CincyFan” and became even more unemployable.

#106, fire bochy? really? he’s responsible for Posey striking out today? and the Giants not hitting? get real dude.

DriveByLurker

This is the VERY FIRST decent catch Pence has made as a Giant

ClutchUp

Dbacks/Hman/Hitman = Cincy fan = TWC called it. Cincy fans are too classy to spend time on a Giant board. One of the oldest franchises ever in baseball. Subtract Marge Schott and everything about Cincy is classy.

Here is what’s going to happen. By the 5th inning, the Giants will catch a break or two and it will open the flood gates. The pressing will turn into confidence because a bounce or two will have gone their way, and the entire series will change.

Right now, the Reds are so relaxed at the plate. It’s because they are in the driver’s seat. The Giants just need to make a couple plays, like that last out, to make them know it is not going to be easy. Until that happens, though, Vogey has to bear down and deal with a very confident line up.

RC, if you are tech savvy, figure out what tool from this site has been hacking.

Honestly, you would think there would be at least one member of ANONYMOUS that was a Giant fan and would have our backs on this board. Could you imagine the hell they could inflict upon a someone that chose to troll here, lol?

Now, without even a hit, the Reds have been lulled. They thought it was over after getting run number one. They had shut down the first 6 batters. They got complacent. Watch, they will sleepwalk through the next few innings.

Now is when to strike!

Send your mojo, guys! Top of the 4th, our boys can put a crooked number up and get the Reds thinking.

CincyFan2

don’t beat up your children giant’s fans
it’s just a game

CincyFan2

my mom and uncle ray and uncle jack and uncle charlie said they were only watching the game, so why did they lock the bedroom door?

Lefty

Paul: The game’s on TBS. No MLB.TV when the national networks have it.

Look at the urgency in the Giants dugout. It was missing on the homestand. I think Vogie getting out of the first fired these guys up. Look for a Giants win, then Zito redeeming himself for years of failure. 2-2 after tomorrow. mark my words.

Cannot shake off the all star catcher, PG catcher, MVP catcher, Comeback player or the year, Willie Mac award winner, 2010 ROY as much as Vogelsong has done … dodging too many bullets 🙁 and throwing to many pitches per inning = 30 pitch inning and a 20+++ pitch inning.

It’s probably gradeschool bullies that didn’t grow and got their rears handed to them by middle school, as they became small powerless little minded haters, so they switched to the virtual world because they thought themselves safe.

Just wait until the ANONYMOUS crowd decides to take aim at them. Bank accounts will suddenly be empty. The feds will be finding kiddie porn on their comps, and no one will recognize their obituaries after they commit suicide.

Lefty

Wow, these Reds fans are really dead, aren’t they? You’d think they’d be happy, up 2-0 in the series.

From what I’ve seen, the only fan bases from other cities that are any good are St. Louis and the Yankees. OK, Yankees fans are arrogant, but they’re very passionate and very knowledgeable. Oh, and Cubs fans–bless their hearts.

Did you notice that TBS didn’t show a replay of the BALL called third strike on Belt?

4SeamSuzie

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Giants team choke this bad in the playoffs.

Gutless, heartless and pathetic (except Vogey and Buster).

The Tourist

Bailey has made quite a few mistakes with fastballs up in the zone and we have either swung through them or fouled them back. Not ONE mistake was put in play…

ClutchUp

dgg says: October 9th, 2012 at 4:12 pm 205..Is Vogelsong really shaking Posey off that much, or is it just to throw the Reds off, keep things slowed down?

Dgg: One of the best questions today! Pitchers/Catchers DO HAVE systems that includes what you just said. It’s called many things by many teams. (“ShakeShake FB”) etc. The catcher will twirl his index finger followed by THE sign=Pitcher will shake No then shake okay but then throw the original the pitch from the Original sign.

DBACKS

I bet all of you are ugly people or old farts who aint got no life and keep posting here like if your opinion mattered. bunch of pathetic mugs just waiting to die.

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAAHHA

GIANTS SUCK!!!!!!!!!

WHOS BETTER BELT OR GOLDSCHMIDT?

The Tourist

Here comes Homer’s second no-no of the month.

ClutchUp

4SeamSuzie says: October 9th, 2012 at 4:19 pm 216..I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Giants team choke this bad in the playoffs.Gutless, heartless and pathetic (except Vogey and Buster).

-I think I know what you mean but those happen to be the wrong descriptive words. 🙁

totalfan62

This kid is dealing for them tonight. Crawford with an extremely weak swing on strike three. We gotta shake him up a bit. First we got a hit.

DBACKS

GO DBACKS!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW FUNNY IT IS THAT A 2TIME CY YOUNG IS NOW IN THE BULLPEN
AND ONLY PITCHES WHEN THE GAME IS ALREADY LOST

GO REDS!!!!!!!!

I HATE THEM GIANTS

HAHAHAHAHAHAH

GOING TO GET SWEPT BY THE REDS

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

2holehitting

8K’s in 5 inings no hits , just pathetic

so much for my thesis they padded their stats against week pitching teams in August and September.

Oh wait, this supports my thesis.

Die Hard Giants Fan

Trying to stay positive. If we can win this one anyway possible I know Zito will win it tomorrow. But when the bats have been buzz sawed, man its tough to be a die hard giants fan. but i’ve been through worse. this too shall pass. let’s go giants!

ClutchUp

TWC: My TBS = shows NO replays? 😛

The Oracle

Vogelsong just needs to keep battling.

4SeamSuzie

1) Dbacks is a sad little fool living in his mom’s basement.

2) This team is soooo bad it’s almost comical at this point.

3) The game is somehow still tied.

The Tourist

See, I’m perfectly fine with losing. Losing is part of sports, obviously, so it’s supposed to happen to you. But choking like this, showing no heart, just bending over and accepting defeat is pathetic.

And frankly, it’s insulting. They played to a packed house every game, what the hell are they afraid of? They are NOT this bad. I don’t get it.

What is the point of TBS using a pitch tracking mechanism if they are not going to bother stirring up fans with replays of poor 3rd strikes? That’s how you get ratings. Smells like TBS must be part of the Selig CIA, only it doesn’t make sense with ATL losing . . .

ClutchUp

How did Phillips hurt himself?

Lefty

The Reds have a head start in this series and may well get by the Giants. But if Cueto is out and there’s something wrong with Phillips…the Cardinals are gonna eat them for lunch.

Phillips hurt, a second domino has fallen. This series is there for the taking if the giants would stop guessing at the plate and look for their pitch. Well, not “their pitch,” but sit on balls away and think opposite field and they could really start touching up Bailey.

And I believe I am on my 4th double shot of Red Label. I have not been drunk since, . . . , probably April. Wife is gonna be pissed when she gets home and sees me, passed out in Giants gear.

ClutchUp

Lefty says: October 9th, 2012 at 4:41 pm 280..What a beautiful, gorgeous, gutsy performance by 35-year-old Ryan Vogelsong in his first playoff start.Just like 2011, he’s the bright spot.Thanks, Vogey. I was hoping for a good memory from today, and you gave us one.
Love That Guy.

Thanks! Anybody know what his “Line” was? Total Pitches etc?

Lefty

TWC: That’s funny. That triple in the ASG WAS ridiculous. Justin Verlander is still having screaming nightmares about losing home field advantage in the World Series on a pitch at his shoe tops.

Reaper

knock bruce out of the game!

Die Hard Giants Fan

That’s ok, if you’re gonna hit someone, drill em good and scare the poopoo out of em.

Bochy taking out Voglesong who was in a groove in the 6 th in a tied ellimination game for ….wait for it…HUFF! That’s beyond self-parody for Bochy. I am with the Cow. A new manager would be refreshing.

After the starts we got from Cain and Bum, FINALLY a starter had his rhythm.. and Bochy pulled him. Can’t believe it..

Die Hard Giants Fan

Good job Jeremy. Giants in it to win it.

DoggieBag

Disaster averted…

For now…

Come on show us why you are here guys!!!

pacman68

I’m calling HOME RUN by MVP right here!!

dgg

Yes!!! Stranded the runners. Still 1:1. There’s still a chance, right?

4SeamSuzie

A double play??? what’s that?

Mr. Randy Watson

Great that Affeldt got out of it. But he’s our 8th inning guy. He just got used in the 6th. With an offense that can’t get a hit.. not a good recipe. Hope it works out, BOTCHY. (I’ve refrained from ever calling him that. He deserves it this time.)

totalfan62

Gotta take the lead right here. Get us started, Buster.

Middle of the order, the “ultimate” must-win game.

Let’s get some runs!!

Die Hard Giants Fan

I can hear it now, the naysayers will be saying, “giants won it today even with bochy”. Team effort peeps. Scratch and claw to a victory today.

The Tourist

Hate to break it to you, guys, but Bochy will be here for a couple more years at least, same with Pablo.

4SeamSuzie

oh wait it wasn’t. I’m watching on my phone at work.

Anti-Lasorda

Vogey scuffled early settle down, desrved to walk out for the 6th with no body on. If there was a baserunner I would have understood.

In all seriousness, I don’t mind pulling Affeldt, but PH with Sanchez, who would choke up and look away or up the middle. Huff’s hits down the stretch were all against slop. I know he has had some hard balls, but his failures take the entire team down because he has not earned the ABs.

Bochy is as Bochy does.

When this is all over, today or after the WS, I’ve got an argument with the Bochy lovers brewing, cause without a Burrell-Huff band of brothers set of players creating their own positive vibes, I don’t think Bochy does a single thing to actually help the team. You can argue his no highs no lows demeanor works for a regular season, but where is he in the post season without some player doing the motivational duties for the club?

mitchvman

199. Four Dot I mean Clucth

Yeah, burn…

Giants Extra Reglar

So Randy Watson wanted Mota, the 6th inning guy, to pitch there?

You know it’s win or go home, right?

ClutchUp

When Barbieri left for Europe and put Angel errr… Angela Alioto in charge of his affairs … some say Ralph was seen at the Vatican … looking to donate some KNBR … witchcraft $$$ so that Ralph could mojo into Larry Baer’s life after RB was told he couldn’t park in a fancy stall. Ralph could be counter acting all of our current JuJu which, you KNOW is working —as we were—-tied even though we were being no hit.

4SeamSuzie

Baily must be getting tired time to get ’em.

DoggieBag

Having Huff on the roster means that management is still clinging to the idea that they engineered 2010’s magical run to a WS win.

Come on Belt, make us look like a baseball team instead of an out machine.

The worst part is that Bailey is not exactly dealing. The Giants are doing him favors, swinging at balls early to give him count leverage.

pacman68

THAT IS NOT A STRIKE BS!

DoggieBag

Nice strike zone.

Bring in the robots, i’m sick of this crap.

Die Hard Giants Fan

No biggie. Why do you think they call him “homer”. He got the cheap call. We shall overcome.

Panda Puffs are Delicious

Belt stares at two of the exact same strike threes, how do you defend that.

Foothills Ryan

Tip your cap!

Bailey is carving up the Giants like turkey dinner.

The Tourist

Wow… screw this umpire.

Affeldt had a curve about 6 inches closer to the plate called a ball in the same spot.

Good at-bat by Belt, he earned a walk.

totalfan62

Too close to take, kid. You gotta swing at that. I love you, kid–but you gotta be swinging right there. Bailey and the ump are in a good groove, can’t take anything close.

Woj

The offense is disgraceful. its embarrassing.

Are the Giants penny pinching owners bent on signing pitching watching this garbage. winning palyoff teams need power hitting, you simply do b/c sometiems the seeing eye singles (which are lucky) don’t happen especially against good pitching. You need guys up and down the lineup that can muscle up and get 1 or 2 runs with 1 swing
see Ross, Cody
Burrell, Pat
Huff, Aubrey (in 2010)
Posey, Buster

and in 2002, Burks, Bonds, Aurilia, Kent, Snow, Santiago, Bell.

compare that to the slappers in the lineup now (Blanco, Crawford, Pence, Scoots, swing at anything Panda)

Lefty, 90% of Bailey’s pitches have been outside. You can’t pull those.

GiantsBro

Man, am sick of the same s**t that Belt does. What the f*** is his problem. You’re a 1B and 1B have to hit the damn ball and hit it far too. F*** you Belt

mitchvman

344 ? Not I

I really like Belt but he needs to take that bat off of his shoulder on 2 strike pitches. That pitch was right there if not barely off the plate. He needs to expand and drive the ball.

Each inning it remains lethargic give the Reds the edge. They only have to score one then shut it down with Chapman etal!

The Tourist

One more Cougar Town ad and I’ll shoot myself in the head.

Anti-Lasorda

Rookie treatment by bad blue?

DoggieBag

@354, Oh now you see it… 😆

K+K do that ALL the time, I pointed that out earlier in the year and you jumped all over me. Isn’t that a good at batt? Gotta stay positive right? 😆

Good at batts are hits.

Hell, I can make an out and I haven’t played since HS. 😉 😆

Mr. Randy Watson

Foothills – Are the Reds pitchers REALLY this good? Do the Giants hitters take NO blame?? I’m having a hard time with this question..

The Tourist

The Reds pitchers are in for a BIG surprise if they win here and in the next series. Those hanging breaking balls, trash for dumb hitters to swing at, and fastballs up in the zone are not going to work so well.

4SeamSuzie

I can’t really be mad at the umpire. He has absolutely nothing to do with the Giants fecklessness.

DriveByLurker

I know I am looking ahead, WAY ahead, but did you see that Thursday’s start time is 10am??? That’s an outrage.

Lefty

I’ve never watched Cougar Town and never will, but my impression from this series is all they do is drink wine. Every commercial they all have big glasses of wine.

That’s not much of a concept for a show. No wonder it almost got canceled.

peakfreak

Lefty,
Kruk says all of his pitches have been on the outer half, so Pence can’t pull anything.

pacman68

Why is Cain yawning? Does he need all winter to get some sleep? Wake up you jerk!!

Sean Marshall getting up in Reds bullpen. Casilla (who has a cold) warming up in Giants bullpen.

Oh joy Get Timmy up you FOOOOOL

DoggieBag

Lefty, not to mention what’s her name from was it Friends? looks like something the cat dragged in. Cougars? Should be called RoadKill. 😆

Atlas

Yep, it’s hero time. The team needs some kind of spark, badly… Scutaro’s single gave me hope. Keep fighting fellas.

Mr. Randy Watson

Maybe the pitching hero is Affeldt, homie’s dealing

The Tourist

Playing with fire here, Bruce. You used 9 pitchers before in a regular season game…

Die Hard Giants Fan

#384, That’s why. Anymore ignorant questions?

DoggieBag

Bochy is saving Timmy for game seven…

ClutchUp

GiantsBro says: October 9th, 2012 at 5:02 pm
Man, am sick of the same s**t that Belt does. What the f*** is his problem. You’re a 1B and 1B have to hit the damn ball and hit it far too. F*** you Belt

🙁 Wait … your gonna blame ONE player for this? He’s been in pro ball since Aug of 2009. He’s a baby and being carved by Bailey and the Plate Ump. You must be about 24 yrs old to use language so inappropriate. Mental midgetry.

Mr. Randy Watson

Rumor Central – That’s what I’m saying! After his electric outing at AT&T, get Big Time Timmy Jim up. This is his time. It’s now or nothing. It’d be exciting at the least.

We’ll know soon enough. First AB will tell all. Good Casilla or Bad Casilla. I swear Bochy has no idea he has used up his bench in a tied game. If I hate him enough, maybe the Giants will win and he’ll get an extention. Murphy’s Law.

Remember Murphy’s Law applies to the Reds, too. They think it’s won already, the poor bastards.

mario

game over book it why botchy why?

DriveByLurker

Like Uncle Gary says, “They’re pinch hitters for a reason”

ClutchUp

Jairo Garcia is our guy because Santiago Casilla is fighting a very bad cold.

Why pitch a SICK PITCHER IN AN ELIMANATION GAME!!!!!!! Botchy just wants to go home i swear.

ClutchUp

Who pinch hits first? Bumgarner or Cain?

Woj

@ 418 – The Tourist

Agreed. You can start by firing Meulens. The lack of power hitting is on him partially. The utter failure of the offense in record breakign fashion for the nation to see is on him.
If the Giants lose this game, fire Meulens. Send a siganl this won’t be tolerated.

0-1 swung at ball 1
1-1 what is that 2 out of 16 for strikes?
2-1 almost hit him BOCHY! C’MON!
2-2 right down the middle, lucky he was late, but a strike!
2-2 fouled off same down the middle strike, a tad late, don’t try that again Posey, who is setting up outside, leting the ball come over the plate.
3-2 ball actually went to Posey’s glove away, LOL
K
[going for 5th double shot]

I’m okay with Chapman getting burned early. Bochy needs to be willing to bring in Tim for a few innings before burning Romo, IMO. I’d rather Tim give up the winning run than a lesser arm with the chance to go into extra innings.

The Tourist

Who’s pitching here?

Tumorseal

We still got this.

pacman68

This has all the makings of a disaster. Giants don’t deserve to win … what a gutless hitting performance. I’m very disappointed in our hitters.

There was a reason why Pablo didn’t start in 2010. He’s OVERRATED!!

wan8iv

If the Giants get a baserunner it will be a freaking Miracle

totalfan62

“Still with a big stride and a long swing, gotta shorten everything up if you can” (Joe Simpson)…and Pablo whiffs on a pitch out of the strike zone. Fat Pablo can’t get around on quality fastballs, and Chapman’s the fastest in MLB. Tell me again why Pablo is hitting third?

The Tourist

Romo pitches here… if we muster a run somehow, who’s gonna close the door?

Pence is my hero right now. I’ve been tired of the hate on him when he has 100+ rbis. All the time he gets ripped, when he is a total clutch hitter. Now he puts one into LF on one leg, staying in because he knows no one is left. Resign Pence. THAT is a gamer.

Giants Extra Reglar

Perfect time for a double-steal. Element of surprise, and all.

pacman68

Belt I have been your biggest fan all year. Don’t let me down!!!

Die Hard Giants Fan

Guts. Where are all of the posters that said early on this team lacked courage and fortitude. They are giving it all they got. And more. They will win this on guts.

You know, that was a tough error on Rolen. An error, for sure, but a tough one. Hardly a can of corn play.

Die Hard Giants Fan

All right boys, guts and courage. Said from the start, pitching wins games. Come on Romo, lock it up. I want to see Zito pitch a gem and put the Lincecum debate to rest. Judging from what happened, perhaps the NLCS should send MadBum to the pen, leave Z and Lincecum in with Vogie and Cain.

I’m psyched, but crazy drunk . . .
And have yelled, full voice, for the first time ever in front of my daughter, and believe me, I’m loud (once made Sir Charles miss a free throw, by not yelling – he turned and looked right after the lack of my EEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUU! – it was a pre-season game). She was startled, but took it well. At least it was happpy loud, not angry loud.

channelclemente

Gentlemen,

considering the pressure, that was a major league gut check. They played good ball, and it was enough.

kyle Perizi

Romo’s Ninja skills are awesome in the clinch.

Is Pence’s injury a bad thing?

The Tourist

My Player of the Game:

Ryan Vogelsong

Obrother

It wasn’t pretty but the Giants have to like chances behind Zeets tomorrow with Timmy as a backup in case Zeets runs into trouble. My call is that Zeets will pitch a gem and win with Timmy pitching game 5. To the poster I had a little message spat yesterday because you said the Giants would lose today it was all in fun. To Giants

Andres The Forever Giant

Gamer Underpants got a HUGE hit, after he could barely move, then he stayed in the game! 🙂

SurfCity

Did you see that catch by Coco Crisp? Stunning

South City Jim

Two strange moves by Dusty. Pulling Chapman after one, should have at least left him in for Buster and pitching to Arias with Romo on deck and only Hector left on the bench. And neither of them worked!

South City Jim

Is Cueto going tomorrow or will it be a bullpen game for the Reds? I’m figuring they save Latos for game 5 on normal rest.

ClutchUp

What happened to all the nonsensical chatter that included words like gutless, pathetic and heartless? 😉

I know we fans get full of pent up emotion but the competitive nature of the opposition can sometimes seem to QUIET the collective WILL of our guys but trust me they werent trying to seem pathetic, they weren’t trying to not show any guts and they weren’t trying to show NO heart because on all three counts they were trying their very best (IMHO)

Giants Extra Reglar

Dusty blew that game. Why not let your 100-mph closer pitch the 10th after he cruised through the 9th?

His game-management skills are sucky as ever.

DoggieBag

Pitching to Arias was a HUGE mistake, I think it is why the Giants won actually…

It’s as if Dusty got a call for another home game from the front office. 😉 Big mistake in an otherwise very well managed series.

SurfCity

Did anyone else notice this? Want to see if I got it right:

When Posey and Pence were on 3rd and 2nd after the passed ball, when Arias hit the Grounder Posey scored and Pence just stayed on 2nd base. That would have been pretty heads up considering with his messed up legs he likely would have been out trying to take third.

South City Jim

I noticed it Surf. Pence didn’t want to take the chance of running into an out before Buster scored. Smart baserunning.

Bernard

Wow. Coco. Amazing.

pacman68

Clutch Up

You know the Giants won because I went to lower case. Thanks for the heads up.

DoggieBag

Yes, Pence slowly back to 2nd while the ball was bobbled and thrown to 1st.

The ball was bobbled in the base path, if Pence went it could have been an easy out with Arias’ speed.

ClutchUp

The Tourist says: October 9th, 2012 at 6:23 pm Dammit… can’t help but think the team looked kinda lethargic and didn’t really celebrate much after that last out…

Tourist: They usually celebrate commensurate to the moment at hand PLUS the Giants have class and they’ve always acted like “they’ve been there before”….

Say congrats to each other, leave the field and go to dinner.

ClutchUp

pacman68 says: October 9th, 2012 at 6:34 pm Clutch Up You know the Giants won because I went to lower case. Thanks for the heads up.

Surf: Yep, that’s exactly what happened. My husband called it before it happened: “Arias should beat out a hit and Pence should stay on second.” OK, it was an error, not a hit, but same result. Very smart baserunning.

It all worked out today, but this is why you don’t have just four outfielders and take one out for a pinch-hitter. If Pence couldn’t finish the game…Belt in RF? Buster at 1B and Hector catching?

Still a long way to go, but IF the Giants were to survive this and make it to another round, let’s drop Huff or Mota and add Peguero. Heck, how about drop Huff AND Mota and add Machi, too.

channelclemente

Pence didn’t get stupid because he’s not hitting, he’s an excellent ballplayer, IMO, and finds a way to contribute wherever he can.

SurfCity

Thanks for the confirmation, SCJ. Yep, standing on 2nd base and not getting out was perfect.

dgg

Flemming just said Pence has cramps in his leg, but not serious injury, expect him to play tomorrow.

DoggieBag

What is there to celebrate, they just barely escaped elimination and could get chopped tomorrow.

Only 3 hits.

They didn’t win as much as Cincy lost.

Not knocking the win, the hope is still alive, if they win tomorrow expect to see more of a reaction. 😉

GO GIANTS!!!!

Oh man I just realized I have a meeting tomorrow at game time… Crud!

ClutchUp

Surf: Good call — that happens a TON in amatuer baseball with this scenario ALWAYS doing in many younger type players.

Man on third with two down — going on contact — because their coaches always tell them to do so.

Batter hits a swinging bunt right in front of the plate and the catcher has no chance to get the batter runner but lo and behold here comes the runner from third “running into the third out” of the inning 😀

Damn, I’m going to need 2 gallons of water before I go to sleep or I’m screwed. Nothing more than a couple beers over hours for months and today I dring 5 double shots during the game. I can barely type. ANYTHING FOR MY GIANTS!

The gauntlet remains thrown! Bring it again tomorrow! They needed breaks and our mojo brought them breaks. Doubters, will you join us now!

The pressure is on the Reds now. They don’t want a game 5. They will be pressing, just enough tomorrow, and Zito will use it to his advantage. And Timmy remains available to come in without any warm up throws!

————————-

If anyone, ANYONE, actually wants to credit Bochy for today’s game, do articulate your justification. He’s basically driving the bus as drunk as I am. He’s lucky he wasn’t pulled over for Casillaing all over the road!

SurfCity

Lefty, maybe Blanco in right and Belt in Left. Reasoning: put Belt in a field he’s played somewhat recently. Blanco can play right no problem. He played right in Cain’s perfect game — and caught a ball in Center by the Visa sign.

Atlas

Really tough loss after that performance by Homer Bailey… JUST KIDDING.

CC, I could kiss you right now for the Pence love. I am so sick of people trashing him, the same crowd that pine for RBI guys then get mad because of his BA. His defense is above average (taking all into account), and that is saying something for RF. I love the guy. He’s a real baseball player.

And that he looks like a kid in his Giants uniform (if there was no frame of reference as to how big he actually is) is awesome!

stickman

Incrfrogginredible. Spectacular performances by Affeldt and Romo tonight along with able assistance from Lopez and Casilla added to a gutting it out recovery after his first inning jitters by Vogelsong ultimately overcame a killer effort by Homer Bailey and the best that the vaunted Reds offense could do. This one will rattle their timbers.

My mind was reeling when both managers used their closers in the ninth against the lower ends of the batting orders. Chapman has very few more innings pitched than his total number of games. Dusty, predictably put in another reliever to go the 10th. Thankfully it was Broxton. Posey read his beads with a plink and then Pence moved him into scoring position by drawing a walk. After recovering vs Belt and Nady Broxton threw that wild pitch to Arias and then it unravelled from there. Oddly, Broxton was the selected reliever at that point rather than, say, Arredondo. Higher ERA and all.

Here was a situation where Dusty, up two games, decided to play it cautious with his closer, while Bochy evidently went with a hunch or perhaps a form of Hail Mary, in going with Romo for a second inning ~ a most unusual move considering Sergio’s physical fragility, but ultimately a winner.

Eking one out. Cincinnati fans will keep their brooms in their closets tomorrow. Can Zicasso paint a masterpiece similar to fellow junkballer Arroyo? This series suddenly became unpredictably interesting.

Much kudos to Vogelsong for toughing it out after his shaky start. He IS our bulldog. Affeldt and Romo demonstrated one more time why the Giants were World Champs in 2010. Buster set the table. Whether or not the team wins tomorrow, the Giants salvaged their honor and self-respect on the backs of some excellent pitching ~ in the Reds’ bandbox on the Ohio no less.

mitchvman

Well,

The lads showed a lot of pride tonight. Sure they played tight the whole game but they got it under their Belt…speaking of which Brandon needs to have a different 2 strike approach. Like swing the bat!

I very much wish I am wrong. However, it is a mistake to start Zito tomorrow! Timmy should be going with Cain and all hands on deck in game 5!

The only thing I hope, is when Zito falters (and he will falter) Bochy recognizes it 4 batters early, not 5 batters too late like he always does!

By the way all that chastised Vogelsong before he was named game 3 starting pitcher. Just saw a gutsy performance from a guy who only 2 years ago looked like Clay Hensley!

brabon99

the entire team sux except for vogey, jeremy and romo…who all stepped up

dgg

Two tweets from Alex:

Arias didn’t know Rolen bobbled it, just put his head down and ran. Said it was the fastest sprint of his life.

felicitations are fine, but too many folks here speak before they think. He’s, in my book, a terrific ballplayer.

Where I’m troubled is Sandoval. He’s actually seeing FB middle in, and can’t catch up to them. I really worry about that LasiK crap he had done effecting his vision somehow.

Niners Team of the 80’s

At least for tonite, Scott Rolen = Brooks Conrad

BRETT BOCHY

Actually Mr. Cow the farnz below sums it all up. Not sure what your physical limitations are but mentally you are a bag of wind unable to give credit where credit belongs as well as somebody who takes pleasure in telling people how drunk you are and how much you’ve had to AS YOU PUT IT “to dring”. Leave some of your brillance for your 5 yr old child because she will need a safe and sane daddy not one who doesn’t know that my father is a tremendous person and a very good manager.

BTW, love ROMO, but he WAS lucky tonight. The no dot SLIDER wasn’t sliding MUCH. I saw A LOT of hanging SLIDERS. None OF THEM were HIT well, HOWEVER, but I feel like IF things had BEEN different THEN perhaps ONE might HAVE been HIT for A hr.

ClutchUp

CC, I truly think Sandovals Lasik cruddy procedure has a tolerence factor that makes whatever stigma he had – have a need to re-up on the procedure asap.

(1) He does not see the ball out of the Pitchers hand
(2) Does not see the ball til its right in front of him
(3) He offers at pitches based on a minimal moment where he sees the ball but he does NOT see high and low – he barely sees inside and outside.

South City Jim

Buster been’s studying the tendencies of these hitters for three games now so I hope he catches and I hope they spend an hour or two tonight going over each of the hitters so they’re on the same page tomorrow.

Thanks son, but my won – loss record speaks for itself. Not to mention the only world series championship the SF Giants have ever won. Let the dweebs cast their stones anonymously for they don’t have the intestinal fortitude to sign their real name.

dgg

Tweet from Alex:

Vogelsong said Pence sliding catch got him going. “I told him ‘You don’t know how much that play did for me.’ ”

=========

I like Pence a lot too. In his post-game interview, Vogelsong said Pence got pumped up and gave an inspirational speech before the game that inspired everyone in the clubhouse. He never gives up. Pence was what? 0-11 in this series until his AB tonight in the 10th? And I have no idea how he manages to hit the ball since he’s in constant motion until he swings.

Yeah, Bochy, it had nothing to do with the leadership of Burrell and Uribe in the clubhouse.

Just look at how in the zone you had the boys for the first two games of the season.

Just stop. Pray for another WS. Then you can retire on top like you should have in 2010.

SurfCity

Momentum

Swing

ClutchUp

Pence is playing tomorrow. Belt will play first base and Buster will catch Zito.

Machi has zero chance to replace Mota. 😉 We’re on Mota … like he pitched today! Trust me EVERYTHING that happened the first two games at ATT is irrelevent, maybe not to us the fan base but nothing Bochy or the Giants do tomorrow will be impacted by any pitcher who did not throw well on Sat or Sunday. You can’t be a major league manager and do anything but live in the now moment. A manager can’t dial up reasons like “so and so did terrible over the weekend” when the next day is called Wednesday.

He was the heart and soul of Houston before the PHI trade, where he was surrounded by primadonnas. He came to SF and fit in great in the clubhouse, and now has been around long enough to stand up as a leader.

If his play today didn’t turn people opinion, their as brain dead as a gutless, never using a consistent avatar, attacking people instead of concept, bretheren.

The Tourist

So tired of KNBR guys praising the opposing team pitcher so much when everyone saw how bad the at-bats were.

Bailey made plenty of mistakes in that game, so did Arroyo in the previous, we missed all of them.

dgg

I wondered about that, Surf, and was going to ask if anyone thinks the momentum has swung our way. Hope so.

Lefty

Surf: Blanco was already out of the game. Nady was in LF. I don’t know how much experience he has playing RF. I know Belt has some, but you’re right, not this year. Thankfully, Pence was able to finish, and even better, nothing was hit to him.

totalfan62

Tough, gutsy win for our boys! I won’t be able to sleep for a couple of hours, but I’ll pass that time by watching the last few innings again!

I’m with you, Lefty: if we advance, we don’t need Huff’s “not much” pinch-hits, and Mota clearly is a liability right now. Peguero impresses me more every time I see him, and I think the Latin contingent will help him settle in and make contributions. Machi could be a real weapon in an extra-inning, “re-set the bullpen” type game.

Vogelsong player of the game, no doubt, but don’t overlook two clutch innings from Affeldt.

If the Giants get a lead tomorrow, CIN will suddenly be in full on press mode, realizing they have let a huge advantage slip away.

Tonight, they just feel like they wasted an near no hit effort, “but we are still up 2-1 with two home games, so no big deal.”

This series is entirely winnable. All the Giants have to do is take what CIN gives them.

I totally believe the first two innings of this game put them to sleep. They lost a game they should have won. Seriously, the Giants had no business winning tonight. Vogey battled, Affeldt, battled, then Casilla lucked through an inning. Romo SHOULD have been forced to hit or be PH for instead of Arias’ AB.

Dustiny is awesome from the other side!

Seattlegiants

Ok, my analogy for you long time fans..not exactly the same as it was a seven game series..but when Dravecky pitched lights out in an elimination game and we lost to Tudor 1-0 back in 1887, we let a dominant pitching performance get away in an elimination game..and then Oquendo broke our hearts…does this have the same effect and the ghost of 1987 finally go away…? Do you remember that feeling when we lost game 6? You just knew we were doomed in 7

600+ comments later got home (car trouble) to hear the Gints score in the 10th and hold – and sort of glad I missed all this TORTURE and didn’t have to pass out and have my wife find me on the floor in my Gigantes 2010 WS Cap (LMAO) – loved following the game thread from (most of) you commenters knowing how it all turned out. Gracias you guyz/gurls! Snorkel will sleep well tonight!!

ps. Remember this eejit?:

“WOW IS THIS THE WORST PERFORMANCE IN A SERIES BY A TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL? I THINK SO

BY WHO? THE GIANTS

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA”

Lefty

Clutch: I don’t really care if Machi replaces Mota. But I don’t want to see Mota again, either. It wasn’t just over the weekend. He was terrible at Dodger Stadium last week. He wasn’t good in the spring before he was suspended. He was rusty and shaky when he came back. Then he had a handful of good appearances around the middle of September.

I get that they like his stuff, especially his velocity, and that he can pitch several innings. But that doesn’t help if he’s a gas can, and that’s what he’s been about 90% of this season.

Me, I’d go with 11 pitchers and add offense–Whiteside so that Hector can hit and Peguero for speed and outfield defense. That’s what I thought they should do in the first place because I knew the Reds have great pitching but that their offense hasn’t been that amazing. If you run out of relievers in a particular game, kick it old school and put in a starter for a hitter or two or even an inning or two. They have several months after this to rest, and they probably won’t break.

dgg

TWC @ 7:02… Great post!!!

dgg

Okay, I’m off to the gym now: one very, very happy Giants fan!!!

Matthew

Greetings from Chi-town… What a wild and wonderful finish.

Nice to see some of the boys that get hammered on here gut it out… Specifically Pence manned up. Vogey was awesome, as we’re Jeremy and Sergio… And even Casilla.

Giants are infectious, as I had the entire bar on Hubbard called Boss cheering like crazy all the way through.

Whi knows where it goes, but how nice is it that there is hope? Tell me the boys aren’t feeling great?? Tell me the chatter in Cincy isn’t killing Dusty??? Let’s do this!

By the way, even though he burned through every player (because he carried 12 pitchers), hats off to the big hat for leaving Romo into hit, and then close out the game. He out-managed Dusty tonight, and we get the win… Seeds of doubt have crept in the Queen City!

I don’t like LU tinkering in the playoffs, but depending on Pagan’s history against whomever starts for CIN tomorrow, I may prefer Nady in LF (if not Belt, whom I want on 1B), with Blanco in CF and batting leadoff. He’s been much better at the plate then Pagan, who just seems llost or stunned light a deer in the headlights.

ClutchUp

SOME OF TODAYS HALL OF SHAME POSTS 😉

mario says:
October 9th, 2012 at 3:03 pm
giants deserve to lose this game and the series, patient reds hitters comared to a lineup full of hackers
GiantsBro says:
October 9th, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Vogelsong is washed up. His end has come just like it came to all the fluky guys the Giants like to sign: Torres, Huff, Uribe, Burrell, Blanco and lets add him to the list
CincyFan says:
October 9th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
reds homer; these losers are watching them cowards lose inning by inning and barry felon bonds park will be a ghost town
they got nothing on us
Woj says:
October 9th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Better luck next year.
CincyFan says:
October 9th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
there will be plenty of domestic violence calls tonight after the giant’s lose
Woj says:
October 9th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Wisdom Cow – I think Bochy could hit better than the stiffs and chokers in the Giants lineup now
DriveByLurker says:
October 9th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
This is the VERY FIRST decent catch Pence has made as a Giant
Hunter Pence says:
October 9th, 2012 at 4:02 pm
is Aaron Rowand.
DBACKS says:
October 9th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
GO DBACKS!!!!!!!!!!!
On bringing Affeldt in
Sf Fan says:
October 9th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Worst move of the series…and there have been a few of them.

Unless at dinner tonight Bochy-Sabes-Flann-Wotus-Kelly and BamBam see something in Mike Leake’s game that Nady (LF) or Arias (3b) has better numbers than Blanco or Pablo.

There is NO way Pagan is subbed in for.

SurfCity

TWC, at least on CSN they were musing if Cueto might go off the roster. It comes down to whether or not the doctors think it’s possible for him to come back for a game in the NLCS or not. But it’s a tough call, because I believe once he goes on the injured list he’s out for any more post season play.

channelclemente

So,

is it Latos tomorrow?

SurfCity

Pagan seems to be in a slump for the playoffs so far. I hope he can shake out of being angry about it, and somehow fool himself into relaxing. THen I think the hits would surely follow

Brandon, some legal advice. If you don’t know what it means, don’t tweet it.

Bochy’s Thunderskull

@752:

You got some self esteem issues, bro.

Bapah

Why wouldn’t he know what it meant?

ClutchUp

Lefty says: October 9th, 2012 at 7:10 pm Clutch: I don’t really care if Machi replaces Mota. But I don’t want to see Mota again, either.

Lefty: I think the majority of us would agree, I’m just warning that Bochy, Raggs and Gardy don’t feel that way. It has nothing to do with his recent bad performances, it has to do with the fact that he’s been able to pitch in games before that THEY, not us, consider pressure situations. He barely made the big club out of his minor league contract a couple of spring trainings ago.

All I know is he’ll pitch tomorrow or perhaps Thursday in some capacity much against the wishes of all of us fans. The inner workings of major league coaching staff decisions has no resemblance to how we think out here in the real world.

Bapah, it’s used more often for an activity PITA (not our poster) wouldn’t be too happy about.

————————-

I’m getting a second wind. Let’s play two!

SurfCity

Pelea = Hace la Lucha

Fight and struggle

Lefty

Other than Hunter “The Gimp” Pence gutting out a single and Arias busting his tail to beat the throw, I can’t give much props to the offense.

But how about our pitching? Wow.

Vogey: I was going to be happy with this game just because I got to see him take that start and make that gutty effort.
Affeldt: Good Affeldt showed up tonight. Hit a guy and an infield single in two innings. Filthy stuff.
Casilla: Almost gave me a heart attack, but got it done.
Javi: One pitch, one out.
Romo: Two perfect (scary) innings and an entertaining AB. And a WIN. So happy for him after his terrible NLDS experience in 2010.

Vogey & Romo are my favorite pitchers this year (honorable mention to Lefty Z), and I’m so happy for both of them.

CU, but Mota had a sore throat back then. Bochy and Raggs need to wake up to the possibility that he’s done. He’s 39 and was just busted for PEDs! Since coming back, he’s been poor in all but one outing (by memory, not 100% certain, especially, now, lol).

pacman68

Thank God the alien that lives inside Hunter Pence got all the gears working again. Someone might want to check that Gator Aid for rocket fuel.

ClutchUp

TWC: I get the cough medicine subtraction but I think Mota is prone to be BAD when he doesn’t throw that 95 mph slider precisely where he needs to and when he DOES – I think it has Raggs-Gardy and Bochy mesmerized what “could be”. I’m not a Mota guy, I just think that staff has little concern for the fact that he’s off the medicine thus he wont perform. He is part of their warrior-bulldog-team and he will pitch tomorrow if they feel his splits match up with the batter coming to the plate. They don’t deal in negatives, what might happen or the fact that we think he is a gas can…they only deal with the above facts and also that they made a decision to bring him back around August 28th and they are too proud to admit they were wrong…

Matthew

Clutch, I often understand your logic behind explaining those different brain waves amongst MLB coaching staffs, however…. If they truly do feel there is any situation where Mota should pitch, unless it’s in the 37th inning of a 15-15 tie with all other pitchers used, then they are not too smart.

Look, this isn’t some blip for Mota… He is disastrous over the last few weeks.. Not CLOSE to even passable.

No WAY he pitches. Kontos is rested. Lopez ( I know, lefty, but still…) only threw one pitch. Timmy rested. Mijares rested…Even Mad Bum.

Now, for our boy Zeets… Hope he channels some Renteria contract justification magic and does well….. But, be ready, Freak!

Agreed, he didn’t pitch in 2010 either. Mota, Affeldt did not pitch vs ATL nor did Whitey grab an at bat. If what you say about them not being smart is how you feel I can understand. That Org. has so many checks and balances that guys like Tidwell are even saying atta-boy concerning the decision I am talking about. For some reason grizzled staff people are too afraid that Kontos will pucker up but that Mota won’t.

Again, I’m right there with you. Maybe Mota will come down with strep throat overnight?

stealYOURface

Dude rolls a ball through the hole. He’s back!ugh.

Some of you have made serious fools out of yourselves over the past 4 days.
Giants fans. Yea right. Go back n read some of your comments. Pathetic.

To the actual fans-cheers to another day. Go giants.

By the way,who compared Ben affleck to the coen brothers? That could be the stupidest comment of the year.

Lefty

TWC: Yes. That’s what I’m talking about. Mota’s been a gas can. I wish we could turn him into Peguero or Whiteside, but we can’t. Even if he were, ahem, “injured,” he’d have to be replaced by a pitcher.

But unless it’s the 17th inning of game 5, I don’t want to see him again. Even then, I think I’d rather take my chances with Buster, Belt, or Pablo pitching. And I’m only a little bit kidding.

TWC, in a just world, Mota would be afforded a handicap, like in Golf.

The Oracle

True, Belt didn’t come through at the end, but he hardly looks overwhelmed. He was called out twice on balls when the Giants were looking for base runners. The last time up, he pretty much had to swing at anything with two strikes. he should be in the lineup tomorrow.

This win, and especially the way they won it, puts a little more pressure on the Reds. They blew a great pitching performance, and then gave it away at the end. Hopefully, the Gs can get up early tomorrow and let them start tightening up a little more.

SurfCity

Lefty, if they have to replace Mota with another pitcher — how about they pick the youngest, fastest most athletic pitcher they have in the system and use him as a pinch runner.

Face stealer, the commercial was cut and editted very much like a Coen Bro. preview. That was the comparison. You may have the worst reading comprehension sklills ever . . . .

Lefty

Surf: Or can they presto, change-o, declare Peguero a pitcher? Or Whiteside?

#FreeHector

ClutchUp

Pence is a ball players ball player. If that has to be explained then so be it. Today he took a deep breath and felt he had enough of his teammates blessing that he spoke to the team before the elimination game. Teammates have a Pence as a teammate maybe three times in their life. He has major flaws. His base hitting mechanics if he were now just coming up would either make a hitting coach YAK or Drool over the opportunity to work with him or tweak what we all look at.

That said, if he doesn’t go see some coach in private — he is going to hit the way he has always hit (mechanically speaking). He looks like he is set up to ONLY hit a location pitch and ONLY if he gets the mistake he is looking for.

His single through the 5.5 hole was a basic righthanded pull hitters single – Posey singles through that hole all the time. That single pushed Posey to second base and the ball to the backstop moved them both to third and second.

The not going to third base that SurfCity spoke about was a heady play to NOT advance. One needs a Pre Pitch Quick Self talk thought to NOT go on that play although had he stayed in a run down LONG enough – Posey’s run still counts because it is NOT a force play.

Many players (nate) or Crawford have tried to advance to third on balls that they should have held up on. Pence is a baller with flaws like any MLB player.

Sonia H

Now, seriously, Giants only won because of luck.

That was beautiful pitching by Homer Baley, Reds didnt deserve to lose because of an error.

I guess I have to wait until tomorrow to celebrate.

Bapah

But, if he’s coachable, Clutch, he has tools. It also bugs me how he throws.

I love it. Not one post on how we are doomed cause Zito is pitching tomorrow. Hilarious. Do you all realize that our whole season is on Zito’s shoulders!?! Barry Freaking 2 billions dollar man Zito. If he wins tomorrow … he has earned his paycheck.

Croix de Candlestick

Wow, what a game. Just finished watching after pausing in the 3rd inning for 2 hours to take my son to Cub Scouts.

– the GMen looked really weak with only 3 hits
– somehow the Reds look much more formidable, but only 4 hits
– wow, that was some strike zone, eh? Really tight early innings, thought we’d have lots of hits and scoring on both sides
– excellent effort by Vogey, such a great story
– Romo’s slider was flat. Amazed he got thru all that on guts and guile
– Zito and his soft throwing might be just the ticket against aggressive Reds hitters
– Belt is back up in the front of the box again!?
– I’m so glad the season didn’t end. Nothing like baseball hope for your team
– one game at a time, but I like our chances from where we stand

SurfCity

There were 32 at-bats today resulting in 3 hits – by Scutarto, Posey and Pence.

Commenters zeroing in on a single player and saying so-and-so sucked today, need to widen their focus! 🙂

The only RBI was by Pagan.

And Arias had a pretty fine 0 for 2.

fergie348

How tight is the Cincy sphincter going to be if the Giants jump out to an early lead tomorow? I hope to find out!

Lefty

No, Sonia. The Giants won because their pitching was freaking brilliant for 10 innings. They also won because ol’ pal Jonathan Broxton finally took the mound. I heard he got a World Series share from the Giants in 2010 for all the games he choked away while pitching for the Dodgers. He and Brooks Conrad of the Braves.

Croix de Candlestick

Wow, almost 800 posts in this thread. Loving the playoff passion !!

Sam

The best thing about Bochy is that’s he not Dusty. He cost his team tonight.

I will see you all tomorrow night. I’m going to go watch THE BLOB 1988.

Sonia H

Lefty says:
No, Sonia. The Giants won because their pitching was freaking brilliant for 10 innings

Dont use the word brilliant for your pitching, it is not.

Brilliant was Homer Baley, Aroldis Champman.

Oh yes, I remember, you guys used to have a guy that was brilliant, a guy that has two Cy Youngs, but now, Giants decided to mismanaged him, sabotage him, humiliate him, and put him on the bullpen only to preserve Guillermo Mota’s arm. I dont understand the point of taking him to the playoffs. He should throw a tantrum.

ClutchUp

Bapah Pence reminds me of somebody who broke their lefthanded and had to learn to throw righthanded.

ClutchUp

Surf on Arias ball /errorr by Rolen I think that is an RBI~

El Lobo

Observations from the post game presser:

Bochy defending his decision to have Belt hit in the tenth, expecting that Belt should deliver in that situation. Very strong, supportive comments of Brandon.

Posey suppressing a giggle when Romo said “balls to the wall.”

ClutchUp

Sonia needs to check Homer and AC’s last names.

Lefty

Sonia: Huh. I checked the box score, and no one named “Baley” or “Champman” pitched for the Reds tonight. You must have been watching a different game.

And yeah, I’d call 4 hits and 1 run in 10 innings against a good-hitting team in their own hitter-friendly ballpark “brilliant” pitching. At least I know the names of the pitchers:

Vogelsong
Affeldt
Casilla
Lopez
Romo!

I think a couple other guys warmed up at points, too. Kontos and Lincecum. In that order. But neither got into the game.

ClutchUp

LOOKS LIKE LATOS TOMORROW….

Sonia H

ClutchUp says:
Sonia needs to check Homer and AC’s last names.

whatever, you got the point, those two guys were brilliant.

I still dont see the point of including Lincecum in the roster. He has one foot outside of SF and the relationship is already broken. So why is he in? Bochy doesnt need him and doesnt trust him. He should have the cojones of sending him to Seattle.

Mike “the nazi” Latos will kill tomorrow.

Bapah

I think TimBob gets in tomorrow and pulls Zeets out a win.

Obrother

One point about the game- Bochy was a genius to put Arias in the game. Nobody makes it to 1st even on the error except Arias and Bianco.

Bochy’s Thunderskull

People, people. As a wise man once said, two things can be equally true. The Giants pitched brilliantly tonight, AND, they got lucky. Lets not pretend that the passed ball and the Rolen error weren’t lucky breaks for the Giants. At the same time, Vogelsong and the bullpen put them in a position to take advantage of those breaks. They were brilliant.

Bottom line: the Giants need dominant pitching to win in the post season. Don’t expect to rely on an offensive show. Pray that the pitching keeps them in the game.

Zito be good.

SurfCity

ClutchUp says:
October 9th, 2012 at 8:53 pm

Surf on Arias ball /errorr by Rolen I think that is an RBI~

—

Really? Not in the box score.
Thought that was the whole point of an error – no hit, no rbi